Background:
The aim of this audit was to investigate whether patients remember the names of their medications and if our proposed intervention (a wallet-fitted card with the names of their medications) would make them feel safer.

Material and Methods:
Fifty-four (54) patients (mean age 68.2 years; both in-patients and out-patients in cardiothoracic surgery) were interviewed with the aid of a 5-step questionnaire. Results were analysed using SPSS.

Result:
According to what patients reported, more than half of them (56%) remembered the names of only some of their medications, 11% did not know the names of any of their medications, and only 33% said they knew them all; interestingly, less than half had any kind of list on them with the names of their medications at the time of presentation at the hospital. Most of them (87%) answered yes when asked whether a medication card would make them feel safer and only 2% said they would not carry the card on them at all times if it was given to them free of charge.

Conclusion:
The extent of the problem is apparent and our proposed intervention appeared to be significantly supported by patients. The card we suggest (visa card size) would be of minimal cost and, in our opinion, would substantially increase patients’ safety and satisfaction. A larger study will be carried out in the future as well as a pilot study at a subsequent stage to evaluate the practicability of and patients’ adherence to our proposed intervention.